Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) made its debut in
format class 6 in June 2008 when packaging manufacturer Friedrich
Freund GmbH (Freund) in Georgsmarienhütte took the world's
first Speedmaster XL 145 into service just a short time after drupa
2008. Now, after around 18 months of production, Freund's
initial assessment is positive. In direct comparison with the other
format class 6 press in operation, the Speedmaster XL 145 achieves
30 percent shorter makeready times and a roughly 25 percent higher
production speed. "With ever shorter runs and quicker job changes,
the short makeready times and high production speed of the
Speedmaster XL 145 are particularly welcome," underlines Managing
Director Karl-Heinz Freund. "What's more, the print quality is
of the consistently high level we have come to expect from
Heidelberg," he adds.
The company, which primarily works for the food industry, is
also impressed by the service concept Heidelberg offers for the
press. "Right from the start of the project, we had dedicated
contacts at Heidelberg who provided us with a highly efficient
customer service both during and after commissioning. Our staff
also received comprehensive training on the new press. Since the
end of the field test, press availability has been in excess of 95
percent," continues Freund. The press currently operates in three
shifts with an average net print output, including press- and
job-related auxiliary times, of more than 10,000 sheets per hour.
Friedrich Freund GmbH - 100 years of expertise on the packaging
market
It was more than 100 years ago that Friedrich Freund founded
the business that laid the foundation for the Freund Group. The
company now employs a workforce of 230 at its sites in
Georgsmarienhütte and Nordhausen. Sales in 2009 totaled EUR 40
million.
The company mainly manufactures packaging made from solid and
corrugated board, together with displays that are used by both
consumers and retailers (shelf-ready packaging). In 2008, a
corrugated board installation with inline laminator for
offset-printed board was taken into operation in Nordhausen. This
makes Freund one of the few companies in Germany that can produce
its own corrugated board and process it inline.
Last year, the company processed 16,000 tons of solid board
and 15 million square meters of corrugated board. The packaging
specialist's customer base includes numerous manufacturers of
branded goods.
Formats 6 and 7b from Heidelberg for the packaging printing and
industrial publishing sectors
The Speedmaster XL 145 and Speedmaster XL 162 are the ideal
complement to the upper end of the Heidelberg sheetfed offset
portfolio. These presses have been designed primarily for use in
the packaging printing and industrial publishing sectors. The
large-format presses from the Speedmaster XL 145 and XL 162 series
are based on the technological platform of the XL 105. As a result,
they also deliver benefits such as faster makeready times, less
waste, consistently high print quality, good flexibility with a
range of printing stocks, and high press availability. In addition,
they offer features that are important in packaging printing such
as the largest sheet size in format class 6 (106 x 145 cm / 41.73 x
57.09 in) and a high throughput for long runs. Large repeats in
particular - for packaging in the food, electronics, and toy
industries, for example - can be produced more efficiently in the
new formats. These features are enhanced by simultaneous washing of
the inking unit, blanket, and impression cylinder, and synchronized
plate changes in all printing units in less than two minutes. Last
but not least, the Prinect print shop workflow enables this format
class to be fully integrated in an end-to-end solution.
Heidelberg has already sold more than 30 presses worldwide,
around half of these to customers in the packaging printing sector.
Figure 1:
Following 18 months of production with a Speedmaster XL 145,
Friedrich Freund GmbH in Georgsmarienhütte offers a positive
assessment.
Figure 2:
Michael Stiegemeyer (left), Plant Manager at Friedrich Freund
GmbH in Georgsmarienhütte, is highly satisfied with the print
results achieved with the Speedmaster XL 145.
Heidelberg equipment at Friedrich Freund GmbH:
Speedmaster XL 145-6+L-X3
Speedmaster CD 102 6+L
Dymatrix 106 CSB
Diana Pro 74
Prinect Press Center
Prinect Image Control
Prinect Prepress Interface
Further information for journalists:
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
Corporate Public Relations
Matthias Hartung
Phone: +49 (0)6221 92 5077
Fax: +49 (0)6221 99 92 5077
E-mail:
matthias.hartung@heidelberg.com
Friedrich FREUND GmbH
Thomas Wirth
Marketing Manager
Phone: +49 (0)5401 486-29
Fax: +49 (0)5401 486-89
E-mail:
t.wirth@freund-verpackung.de
Website:
www.freund-verpackung.de